Teen walked miles to and from work to take care of mom – until co-workers stepped in to help

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OXFORD, Ala. — A 19-year-old UPS worker in Alabama would walk several miles to and from work each day to make enough to care for his sick mother.

Until his co-workers got involved.

Derrick Taylor has been working at the UPS center for about a year, loading and unloading vans, The Daily Mail reports. His shifts began at 4 a.m., and he had to leave early enough to walk the five miles there on time. He’d make the same walk home.

Co-workers offered to give him rides, but Taylor told the Daily Mail that he was too proud to ask for help.

So his co-workers pooled together and bought him a Jeep of his own.

They surprised Derrick with the Jeep in an emotional video that was posted on Facebook.

In it, one of his safety instructors said: “This is a hardworking young man. He makes me emotional. This young man wants to work so bad, he walks to work from way out of town. This group here, we’ve got so for you. Everybody came together, and you don’t have to walk no more. You’ve got your own ride.”

Derrick, who told Daily Mail he’s been working since he was 14 to help care for his mom, said the surprise was very emotional.

“I was overwhelmed with joy,” he said. “No one had ever done anything like that for me, so it made me cry and I’m not really the type to show my emotions.”